CH Ph Research Articles

Anthracene‐containing conjugated polymer showing four optical transitions upon doping: A spectroscopic study

ABSTRACTAn anthracene‐containing poly(arylene‐ethynylene)‐alt‐poly(arylene‐vinylene) (PAE‐PAV) of general constitutional unit (PhCCAnthrCCPhCHCHAnthrCHCH)n bearing two 2‐ethylhexyloxy solubilizing side chains on each phenylene (Ph) unit has been synthesized and characterized. The basic electrochemical characterization was done, showing the existence of two non‐reversible oxidation and one reversible reduction peaks. The optical properties, the real and imaginary part of the dielectric function, were probed using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). The vibrational structure of the undoped/doped polymer was investigated using Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy. A strong change in the polaronic absorption was observed during the doping, which after modeling revealed the existence of two separated transitions. The optical changes upon doping were additionally recorded using the SE technique. Similar to the results from FT‐IR spectroscopy, two new in‐the‐gap absorptions were found. Moreover, the electrical conductivity as well as the mobility of positive carriers were measured. In the undoped state, the conductivity of the polymer was found to be below the detection limit (<μS cm−1), after doping the conductivity increased to 0.69 S cm−1. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014, 52, 338–346

Chiral 38‐Gold‐Atom Nanoclusters: Synthesis and Chiroptical Properties

Enantioselective synthesis of chiral Au38 nanoclusters is achieved with chiral 2-phenylpropane-1-thiol (abbreviated as R/S-PET, organic soluble), captopril and glutathione (water soluble) as the respective ligand. The circular dichroism (CD) spectra of Au38 (R-PET)24 and Au38 (S-PET)24 show multiple bands which are precisely mirror-imaged, while their normal optical absorption spectra are identical with each other and also superimposable with that of the racemic Au38 (SCH2 CH2 Ph)24 nanoclusters. The observed CD signals are not from the chiral ligands themselves (which only give rise to CD signals in the UV (<250 nm), rather than in the visible wavelength region). Chiral Au38 nanoclusters with different types of ligands are further compared. Although the Au38 core is intrinsically chiral, different chiral ligands are found to largely influence the chiroptical response of the overall nanocluster. Thus, the chiral response of ligand-protected nanoclusters has both contributions from the metal core and the ligand shell around it. These optically active nanoclusters hold promise in future applications such as chiral sensing and catalysis.

Metal Segregation in Bimetallic CoPd Carbide Carbonyl Clusters: Synthesis, Structure, Reactivity and Electrochemistry of [H6−nCo20Pd16C4(CO)48]n− (n=3–6)

Nanometric CoPd bimetallic [H6-n Co20 Pd16 C4 (CO)48 ]n- (n=3-6) tetracarbide carbonyl clusters have been prepared by redox condensation of [Co6 C(CO)15 ]2- with [PdCl2 (Et2 S)2 ]. The crystal structures of both the dihydride tetra-anion and monohydride penta-anion have been determined as their [NEt4 ]4 [H2 Co20 Pd16 C4 (CO)48 ]⋅4 CH3 COCH3 and [NMe3 (CH2 Ph)][NMe4 ]4 [HCo20 Pd16 C4 (CO)48 ]⋅5 CH3 COCH3 salts, respectively. The two species are isostructural and their structures display a perfect segregation of the two metals. They are composed of a cubic close-packed (ccp) Pd16 core stabilised on its surface by four {Co5 C(CO)12 } organometallic fragments. Their polyhydride nature has been corroborated by the study of their reactions with acids and bases, and confirmed by electrochemical studies. In addition, the reactions of [H2 Co20 Pd16 C4 (CO)48 ]4- with Na/naphthalene and PPh3 /CO allowed the isolation of other lower nuclearity homoleptic and heteroleptic clusters, that is, [H6-n Co16 Pd2 C3 (CO)28 ]n- (n=5, 6), [Co4 Pd2 C(CO)11 (PPh3 )2 ], [Co2 Pd5 C(CO)8 (PPh3 )5 ], and [Co4 Pd4 C2 (PPh3 )4 (CO)10 Cl]- . [H6-n Co16 Pd2 C3 (CO)28 ]n- (n=5, 6) represent the first homoleptic metal-carbonyl clusters containing three interstitial carbide atoms.

Synthesis and structure of Bis(tetraphenylantimony) 1,2-diphenylethanedione dioximate toluene solvate Ph4SbONC(Ph)C(Ph)ONSbPh4 · 2PhCH3 and tetraphenylantimony 2-hydroxy-1,2-diphenylethanone oximate Ph4SbONC(Ph)CH(Ph)OH

Bis(tetraphenylantimony) 1,2-diphenylethanedione dioximate toluene solvate Ph4SbONC(Ph)C(Ph)NOSbPh4 · 2 PhCH3 (I) and tetraphenylantimony 2-hydroxy-1,2-diphenyl(ethanone oximate Ph4SbONC(Ph)CH(Ph)OH (II) have been synthesized by the reaction of pentaphenylantimony with 1,2-diphenylethane dioxime and 2-hydroxy-1,2-diphenylethanone oxime in toluene. A molecule of compound I is centrosymmetric with an inversion center at the midpoint of the C-C bond in the ethane moiety. A crystal of compound II contains two types of crystallographically independent molecules A and B. Antimony atoms in compounds I and II have a distorted tetragonal bipyramidal surrounding: equatorial CSbC and axial CSbO angles are 114.95(10)°–126.82(11)° and 173.24(9)° (I), 117.2(2)°–122.9(2)° and 178.15(18)° (IIA), and 112.3(2)°–127.7(2)° and 175.09(18)° (IIB), respectively. The Sb-C and Sb-O bond lengths are 2.106(3)–2.182(3) and 2.1344(17) AI), 2.118(5)–2.4199(5) and 2.153(4)A(IIA), and 2.106(5)–2.200(5) and 2.120(4) A (IIB), respectively. A molecule of compounds I, IIA, and IIB has been found to contain Sb...N intramolecular contacts (2.838(3), 2.867(5), and 2.889(5)A, respectively). Molecules of compounds IIA and IIB contain O-H...N hydrogen bonds (H...N, 1.91(9) and 2.06(8) A, respectively).

The C–H activation of pendant naphthyl group of 1-alkyl-2-(naphthyl-α-azo)imidazole by rhodium(III). Spectral, structural characterization and, DFT computation

The reaction of RhCl3 with 1-alkyl-2-(naphthyl-α-azo)imidazole (α-NaiR, N, N′chelator) (R = CH3, CH2–CH3, CH2–Ph) has synthesized a coordination compound, [Rh(α-NaiR-N, N′)(PPh3)Cl3] (2) from boiling methanol in the presence of PPh3 while the reaction under similar condition in the presence of Et3N has synthesized cyclometallated complex, [Rh(α-NaiR-N, N′, C)(PPh3)Cl2] (3). The structures of both types of complexes are confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction study in representative cases. All the complexes have been characterized by spectral data (FT-IR, UV–VIS, MS, 1H-NMR) and elemental analyses. Density functional theory calculation has also been performed to rationalize the electronic structures and their spectral properties.

Quantum Chemical Calculations with the Inclusion of Nonspecific and Specific Solvation: Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation with Bifunctional Ruthenium Catalysts

Details of the mechanism of asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones catalyzed by two chiral bifunctional ruthenium complexes, (S)-RuH[(R,R)-OCH(Ph)CH(Ph)NH(2)](η(6)-benzene) (Ru-1) or (S)-RuH[(R,R)-p-TsNCH(Ph)CH(Ph)NH(2)](η(6)-mesitylene) (Ru-2), were studied computationally by density functional theory, accounting for the solvation effects by using continuum, discrete, and mixed continuum/discrete solvation models via "solvated supermolecules" approach. In contrast to gas phase quantum chemical calculations, where the reactions were found to proceed via a concerted three-bond asynchronous process through a six-membered pericyclic transition state, incorporation of the implicit and/or explicit solvation into the calculations suggests that the same reactions proceed via two steps in solution: (i) enantio-determining hydride transfer and (ii) proton transfer through the contact ion-pair intermediate, stabilized primarily by ionic hydrogen bonding between the cation and the anion. The calculations suggest that the proton source for neutralizing the chiral RO(-) anion may be either the amine group of the cationic Ru complex or, more likely, a protic solvent molecule. In the latter case, the reaction may not necessarily proceed via the 16e amido complex Ru[(R,R)-XCH(Ph)CH(Ph)NH](η(6)-arene). The origin of enantioselectivity is discussed in terms of the newly formulated mechanism.

Chiral Fluorinated α‐Sulfonyl Carbanions: Enantioselective Synthesis and Electrophilic Capture, Racemization Dynamics, and Structure

Enantiomerically pure triflones R(1) CH(R(2) )SO2 CF3 have been synthesized starting from the corresponding chiral alcohols via thiols and trifluoromethylsulfanes. Key steps of the syntheses of the sulfanes are the photochemical trifluoromethylation of the thiols with CF3 Hal (Hal=halide) or substitution of alkoxyphosphinediamines with CF3 SSCF3 . The deprotonation of RCH(Me)SO2 CF3 (R=CH2 Ph, iHex) with nBuLi with the formation of salts [RC(Me)SO2 CF3 ]Li and their electrophilic capture both occurred with high enantioselectivities. Displacement of the SO2 CF3 group of (S)-MeOCH2 C(Me)(CH2 Ph)SO2 CF3 (95 % ee) by an ethyl group through the reaction with AlEt3 gave alkane MeOCH2 C(Me)(CH2 Ph)Et of 96 % ee. Racemization of salts [R(1) C(R(2) )SO2 CF3 ]Li follows first-order kinetics and is mainly an enthalpic process with small negative activation entropy as revealed by polarimetry and dynamic NMR (DNMR) spectroscopy. This is in accordance with a Cα S bond rotation as the rate-determining step. Lithium α-(S)-trifluoromethyl- and α-(S)-nonafluorobutylsulfonyl carbanion salts have a much higher racemization barrier than the corresponding α-(S)-tert-butylsulfonyl carbanion salts. Whereas [PhCH2 C(Me)SO2 tBu]Li/DMPU (DMPU = dimethylpropylurea) has a half-life of racemization at -105 °C of 2.4 h, that of [PhCH2 C(Me)SO2 CF3 ]Li at -78 °C is 30 d. DNMR spectroscopy of amides (PhCH2 )2 NSO2 CF3 and (PhCH2 )N(Ph)SO2 CF3 gave NS rotational barriers that seem to be distinctly higher than those of nonfluorinated sulfonamides. NMR spectroscopy of [PhCH2 C(Ph)SO2 R]M (M=Li, K, NBu4 ; R=CF3 , tBu) shows for both salts a confinement of the negative charge mainly to the Cα atom and a significant benzylic stabilization that is weaker in the trifluoromethylsulfonyl carbanion. According to crystal structure analyses, the carbanions of salts {[PhCH2 C(Ph)SO2 CF3 ]Li⋅L}2 (L=2 THF, tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA)) and [PhCH2 C(Ph)SO2 CF3 ]NBu4 have the typical chiral Cα S conformation of α-sulfonyl carbanions, planar Cα atoms, and short Cα S bonds. Ab initio calculations of [MeC(Ph)SO2 tBu](-) and [MeC(Ph)SO2 CF3 ](-) showed for the fluorinated carbanion stronger nC →σ* SCF 3 and nO →σ* SCF 3 interactions and a weaker benzylic stabilization. According to natural bond orbital (NBO) calculations of [R(1) C(R(2) )SO2 R](-) (R=tBu, CF3 ) the nC →σ*SR interaction is much stronger for R=CF3 . Ab initio calculations gave for [MeC(Ph)SO2 tBu]Li⋅2 Me2 O an O,Li,Cα contact ion pair (CIP) and for [MeC(Ph)SO2 CF3 ]Li⋅2 Me2 O an O,Li,O CIP. According to cryoscopy, [PhCH2 C(Ph)SO2 CF3 ]Li, [iHexC(Me)SO2 CF3 ]Li, and [PhCH2 C(Ph)SO2 CF3 ]NBu4 predominantly form monomers in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at -108 °C. The NMR spectroscopic data of salts [R(1) (R(2) )SO2 R(3) ]Li (R(3) =tBu, CF3 ) indicate that the dominating monomeric CIPs are devoid of Cα Li bonds.

Au67(SR)35 Nanomolecules: Characteristic Size-Specific Optical, Electrochemical, Structural Properties and First-Principles Theoretical Analysis

The preparation of gold nanomolecules with sizes other than Au(25)(SR)(18), Au(38)(SR)(24), Au(102)(SR)(44), and Au(144)(SR)(60) has been hampered by stability issues and low yields. Here we report a procedure to prepare Au(67)(SR)(35), for either R = -SCH(2)CH(2)Ph or -SC(6)H(13), allowing high-yield isolation (34%, ~10-mg quantities) of the title compound. Product high purity is assessed at each synthesis stage by rapid MALDI-TOF mass-spectrometry (MS), and high-resolution electrospray-ionization MS confirms the Au(67)(SR)(35) composition. Electronic properties were explored using optical absorption spectroscopy (UV-visible-NIR regions) and electrochemistry (0.74 V spacing in differential-pulsed-voltammetry), modes of ligand binding were studied by NMR spectroscopy ((13)C and (1)H), and structural characteristics of the metal atom core were determined by powder X-ray measurements. Models featuring a Au(17) truncated-decahedral inner core encapsulated by the 30 anchoring atoms of 15 staple-motif units have been investigated with first-principles electronic structure calculations. This resulted in identification of a structure consistent with the experiments, particularly, the opening of a large gap (~0.75 eV) in the (2-) charge-state of the nanomolecule. The electronic structure is analyzed within the framework of a superatom shell model. Structurally, the Au(67)(SR)(35) nanomolecule is the smallest to adopt the complete truncated-decahedral motif for its core with a surface structure bearing greater similarity to the larger nanoparticles. Its electronic HOMO-LUMO gap (~0.75 eV) is nearly double that of the larger Au(102) compound and it is much smaller than that of the Au(38) one. The intermediary status of the Au(67)(SR)(35) nanomolecule is also reflected in both its optical and electrochemical characteristics.

Metal-free dehydrogenation of amine–boranes by an N-heterocyclic carbene

The dehydrogenation of primary and secondary amine-boranes (RNH(2)·BH(3) and R(2)NH·BH(3); R = alkyl groups) was studied using the bulky N-heterocyclic carbene IPr (IPr = [(HCNDipp)C:]; Dipp = 2,6-(i)Pr(2)C(6)H(3)) as a stoichiometric dehydrogenation agent. In the case of primary amine-boranes, carbene-bound adducts IPr·BH(2)-NH(R)-BH(3) were obtained in place of the desired polymers [RNH-BH(2)](n). The secondary amine-borane (i)Pr(2)NH·BH(3) participated in dehydrogenation chemistry with IPr to afford the aminoborane [(i)Pr(2)N=BH(2)] and the dihydroaminal IPrH(2) as products. Attempts to induce H(2) elimination from the arylamine-borane DippNH(2)·BH(3) yielded a reaction mixture containing the known species IPr·BH(2)NHDipp, IPr·BH(2)NH(Dipp)-BH(3), free DippNH(2) and IPrH(2). The new hindered aryl-amine borane adduct Ar*NH(2)·BH(3) [Ar* = 2,6-(Ph(2)CH)(2)-4-MeC(6)H(2)] underwent a reaction with IPr to give IPr·BH(3) and free Ar*NH(2), consistent with the presence of a weaker N-B dative bond in Ar*NH(2)·BH(3) relative to its less hindered amine-borane analogues.

Unsymmetrical α-diiminonickel bromide complexes: synthesis, characterization and their catalytic behavior toward ethylene

A series of unsymmetrical α-diimine compounds L1–L5 bearing the dibenzhydryl substituent (−CH(Ph)2) has been prepared and characterized by IR and NMR (1H/13C) spectroscopy as well as by elemental analysis. Their corresponding nickel dibromide complexes (Ni1–Ni5) were synthesized and characterized, and single crystal X-ray diffraction studies on Ni4 and Ni5 were conducted. Upon activation with either MAO or MMAO, all nickel complexes exhibited high activity toward ethylene polymerization producing polyethylene of high molecular weight and with a high degree of branching. The polyethylene obtained using MAO possessed bimodal characteristics, whereas that resulting from the use of MMAO exhibited unimodal characteristics. Such observations indicate that the behavior of the active species can be readily controlled via the use of different co-catalysts.

Synthesis of selenolate-protected Au18(SeC6H5)14 nanoclusters

This work reports the first synthesis of selenophenolate-protected Au(18)(SePh)(14) nanoclusters. This cluster exhibits distinct differences from its thiolate analogue in terms of optical absorption properties. The Au(18)(SePh)(14) nanoclusters were obtained via a controlled reaction of Au(25)(SCH(2)CH(2)Ph)(18) with selenophenol. Electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-TOF-MS) revealed the crude product to contain predominantly Au(18)(SePh)(14) nanoclusters, and side products include Au(15)(SePh)(13), Au(19)(SePh)(15) and Au(20)(SePh)(16). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed to isolate Au(18)(SePh)(14) nanoclusters. The results of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), elemental analysis (EA), and (1)H/(13)C NMR spectroscopy confirmed the cluster composition. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of selenolate-protected Au(18) nanoclusters. Future theoretical and X-ray crystallographic work will reveal the geometric structure and the nature of selenolate-gold bonding in the nanocluster.

Highly Variable Zr–CH2–Ph Bond Angles in Tetrabenzylzirconium: Analysis of Benzyl Ligand Coordination Modes

Analysis of a monoclinic modification of Zr(CH2Ph)4 by single-crystal X-ray diffraction reveals that the bond angles Zr–CH2–Ph in this compound span a range of 25.1°, which is much larger than previously observed for the orthorhombic form (12.1°). In accord with this large range, density functional theory calculations demonstrate that little energy is required to perturb the Zr–CH2–Ph bond angles in this compound. Furthermore, density functional theory calculations on Me3ZrCH2Ph indicate that bending of the Zr–CH2–Ph moiety in the monobenzyl compound is also facile, thereby demonstrating that a benzyl ligand attached to zirconium is intrinsically flexible, such that its bending does not require a buffering effect involving another benzyl ligand.

The Superstable 25 kDa Monolayer Protected Silver Nanoparticle: Measurements and Interpretation as an Icosahedral Ag152(SCH2CH2Ph)60 Cluster

A cluster obtained in high yield from the reduction of a silver-thiolate precursor, Ag-SCH(2)CH(2)Ph, exhibited a single sharp peak near 25 kDa in the matrix-assisted laser desorption mass spectrum (MALDI MS) and a well-defined metal core of ~2 nm measured with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The cluster yields a single fraction in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Increased laser fluence fragments the cluster until a new peak near 19 kDa predominates, suggesting that the parent cluster-Ag(152)(SCH(2)CH(2)Ph)(60)-evolves into a stable inorganic core-Ag(152)S(60). Exploiting combined insights from investigations of clusters and surface science, a core-shell structure model was developed, with a 92-atom silver core having icosahedral-dodecahedral symmetry and an encapsulating protective shell containing 60 Ag atoms and 60 thiolates arranged in a network of six-membered rings resembling the geometry found in self-assembled monolayers on Ag(111). The structure is in agreement with small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) data. The protective layer encapsulating this silver cluster may be the smallest known three-dimensional self-assembled monolayer. First-principles electronic structure calculations show, for the geometry-optimized structure, the development of a ~0.4 eV energy gap between the highest-occupied and lowest-unoccupied states, originating from a superatom 90-electron shell-closure and conferring stability to the cluster. The optical absorption spectrum of the cluster resembles that of plasmonic silver nanoparticles with a broad single feature peaking at 460 nm, but the luminescence spectrum shows two maxima with one attributed to the ligated shell and the other to the core.

Theoretical Approaches To Estimating Homolytic Bond Dissociation Energies of Organocopper and Organosilver Compounds

Although organocopper and organosilver compounds are known to decompose by homolytic pathways among others, surprisingly little is known about their bond dissociation energies (BDEs). In order to address this deficiency, the performance of the DFT functionals BLYP, B3LYP, BP86, TPSSTPSS, BHandHLYP, M06L, M06, M06-2X, B97D, and PBEPBE, along with the double hybrids, mPW2-PLYP, B2-PLYP, and the ab initio methods, MP2 and CCSD(T), have been benchmarked against the thermochemistry for the M-C homolytic BDEs (D(0)) of Cu-CH(3) and Ag-CH(3), derived from guided ion beam experiments and CBS limit calculations (D(0)(Cu-CH(3)) = 223 kJ·mol(-1); D(0)(Ag-CH(3)) = 169 kJ·mol(-1)). Of the tested methods, in terms of chemical accuracy, error margin, and computational expense, M06 and BLYP were found to perform best for homolytic dissociation of methylcopper and methylsilver, compared with the CBS limit gold standard. Thus the M06 functional was used to evaluate the M-C homolytic bond dissociation energies of Cu-R and Ag-R, R = Et, Pr, iPr, tBu, allyl, CH(2)Ph, and Ph. It was found that D(0)(Ag-R) was always lower (~50 kJ·mol(-1)) than that of D(0)(Cu-R). The trends in BDE when changing the R ligand reflected the H-R bond energy trends for the alkyl ligands, while for R = allyl, CH(2)Ph, and Ph, some differences in bond energy trends arose. These trends in homolytic bond dissociation energy help rationalize the previously reported (Rijs, N. J.; O'Hair, R. A. J. Organometallics2010, 29, 2282-2291) fragmentation pathways of the organometallate anions, [CH(3)MR](-).

The Mechanism of Efficient Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation of Acetophenone Using an Iron(II) Complex Containing an (S,S)-Ph2PCH2CH═NCHPhCHPhN═CHCH2PPh2 Ligand: Partial Ligand Reduction Is the Key

On the basis of a kinetic study and other evidence, we propose a mechanism of activation and operation of a highly active system generated from the precatalyst trans-[Fe(CO)(Br)(Ph(2)PCH(2)CH═N-((S,S)-C(Ph)H-C(Ph)H)-N═CHCH(2)PPh(2))][BPh(4)] (2) for the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone in basic isopropanol. An induction period for catalyst activation is observed before the catalytic production of 1-phenethanol. The activation step is proposed to involve a rapid reaction of 2 with excess base to give an ene-amido complex [Fe(CO)(Ph(2)PCH(2)CH═N-((S,S)-C(Ph)H-C(Ph)H)-NCH═CHPPh(2))](+) (Fe(p)) and a bis(enamido) complex Fe(CO)(Ph(2)PCH═CH-N-(S,S-CH(Ph)CH(Ph))-N-CH═CHPPh(2)) (5); 5 was partially characterized. The slow step in the catalyst activation is thought to be the reaction of Fe(p) with isopropoxide to give the catalytically active amido-(ene-amido) complex Fe(a) with a half-reduced, deprotonated PNNP ligand. This can be trapped by reaction with HCl in ether to give, after isolation with NaBPh(4), [Fe(CO)(Cl)(Ph(2)PCH(2)CH(2)N(H)-((S,S)-CH(Ph)CH(Ph))-N═CHCH(2)PPh(2))][BPh(4)] (7) which was characterized using multinuclear NMR and high-resolution mass spectrometry. When compound 7 is treated with base, it directly enters the catalytic cycle with no induction period. A precatalyst with the fully reduced P-NH-NH-P ligand was prepared and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. It was found to be much less active than 2 or 7. Reaction profiles obtained by varying the initial concentrations of acetophenone, precatalyst, base, and acetone and by varying the temperature were fit to the kinetic model corresponding to the proposed mechanism by numerical simulation to obtain a unique set of rate constants and thermodynamic parameters.

CO Oxidation Catalyzed by Oxide-Supported Au25(SR)18 Nanoclusters and Identification of Perimeter Sites as Active Centers

In this work, we explore the catalytic application of atomically monodisperse, thiolate-protected Au(25)(SR)(18) (where R = CH(2)CH(2)Ph) nanoclusters supported on oxides for CO oxidation. The solution phase nanoclusters were directly deposited onto various oxide supports (including TiO(2), CeO(2), and Fe(2)O(3)), and the as-prepared catalysts were evaluated for the CO oxidation reaction in a fixed bed reactor. The supports exhibited a strong effect, and the Au(25)(SR)(18)/CeO(2) catalyst was found to be much more active than the others. Interestingly, O(2) pretreatment of the catalyst at 150 °C for 1.5 h significantly enhanced the catalytic activity. Since this pretreatment temperature is well below the thiolate desorption temperature (~200 °C), the thiolate ligands should remain on the Au(25) cluster surface, indicating that the CO oxidation reaction is catalyzed by intact Au(25)(SR)(18)/CeO(2). We further found that increasing the O(2) pretreatment temperature to 250 °C (above the thiolate desorption temperature) did not lead to any further increase in activity at all reaction temperatures from room temperature to 100 °C. These results are in striking contrast with the common thought that surface thiolates must be removed-as is often done in the literature work-before the catalyst can exert high catalytic activity. The 150 °C O(2)-pretreated Au(25)(SR)(18)/CeO(2) catalyst offers ~94% CO conversion at 80 °C and ~100% conversion at 100 °C. The effect of water vapor on the catalytic performance is also investigated. Our results imply that the perimeter sites of the interface of Au(25)(SR)(18)/CeO(2) should be the active centers. The intact structure of the Au(25)(SR)(18) catalyst in the CO oxidation process allows one to gain mechanistic insight into the catalytic reaction.

C–H Functionalization Reactivity of a Nickel–Imide

We report bifunctional reactivity of the β-diketiminato Ni(III)-imide [Me(3)NN]Ni═NAd (1), which undergoes H-atom abstraction (HAA) reactions with benzylic substrates R-H (indane, ethylbenzene, toluene). Nickel-imide 1 competes with the nickel-amide HAA product [Me(3)NN]Ni-NHAd (2) for the resulting hydrocarbyl radical R(•) to give the nickel-amide [Me(3)NN]Ni-N(CHMePh)Ad (3) (R-H = ethylbenzene) or aminoalkyl tautomer [Me(3)NN]Ni(η(2)-CH(Ph)NHAd) (4) (R-H = toluene). A significant amount of functionalized amine R-NHAd is observed in the reaction of 1 with indane along with the dinickel imide {[Me(3)NN]Ni}(2)(μ-NAd) (5). Kinetic and DFT analyses point to rate-limiting HAA from R-H by 1 to give R(•), which may add to either imide 1 or amide 2, each featuring significant N-based radical character. Thus, these studies illustrate a fundamental competition possible in C-H amination systems that proceed via a HAA/radical rebound mechanism.

Synthesis and Optoelectronic Properties of Hexahydroxylated 10‐O‐R‐Substituted Anthracenes via a New Modification of the Friedel–Crafts Reaction Using O‐Protected ortho‐Acetal Diarylmethanols

A new modification of the Friedel-Crafts type intramolecular cyclization involving O-protected ortho-acetal diarylmethanols as a new type of reactant, was carried out for the first time in a medium containing a large amount of water at room temperature and enabled synthesis of a series of electron-rich, hexahydroxylated 10-O-R-substituted anthracenes, where R is an alkyl (Me, nBu, n-C(16)H(33)) or arylalkyl group (CH(2)Ph, CH(2)-2-Napht, CH(2)C(6)H(4)CH(2)OAr) and also evaluation of their electronic and optoelectronic properties in solution, crystal, and solid thin film. In this transformation, a central 10-O-R-substituted benzene ring was formed, fused to rings originating from two independent aromatic aldehydes. The reaction proceeded via two identified mechanisms involving acetal and/or free aldehyde groups. The acid sensitive acetal and dibenzyl alkoxy functions have never been used together in the intramolecular Friedel-Crafts type cyclization. The new compounds revealed deep blue fluorescence and quantum yields in solution around 0.3. The electrical properties investigated for thin films obtained by vacuum deposition on glass were 10-O-R-substituent dependent and showed much faster transient current decay in the case of the 10-O-CH(2)Ph derivative than for the material with a 10-O-Me substituent (the lifetime of charge carriers was 25 times shorter in this case). The AFM images of thin films, Stokes shifts, and X-ray analysis of π-stacking interactions in crystals of the new materials have been also obtained.

ChemInform Abstract: New β‐Amino‐α‐trifluoromethyl Alcohols and Their Exploration in the Synthesis of Trifluoromethylated Imidazole Derivatives.

Abstract Racemic and enantiomerically pure β-amino-α-trifluoromethyl alcohols were obtained via sequential nucleophilic trifluoromethylation of selected α-imino ketones, derived from arylglyoxals, and subsequent removal of the MeO or Ph(Me)CH substituent, respectively, located at the N-atom. The obtained products, containing a primary amino group, were used for the synthesis of imidazole N-oxides bearing a trifluoromethyl group as a part of the N(1)-alkyl chain. Imidazole N-oxides with an electron-withdrawing ester group at C(4) underwent spontaneous isomerization under the reaction conditions, and the corresponding imidazol-2-ones derivatives were isolated as final products.

An iron-cyclopentadienyl bond cleavage mechanism for the thermal ring-opening polymerization of dicarba[2]ferrocenophanes

In order to gain insight into the mechanism for the thermal ring-opening polymerization of strained dicarba[2]ferrocenophanes, the thermal reactivity of selected examples of these species with different substitution patterns has been explored. When heated at 300 °C dicarba[2]ferrocenophanes meso/rac-[Fe(η5-C5H4)2(CHPh)2] (mesomeso/racrac-7) and meso-[Fe(η5-C5H4)2(CHCy)2] (mesomeso-13) were found to isomerize or to undergo disproportionation, respectively. These processes are apparently general for dicarba[2]ferrocenophanes with one or more non-hydrogen substituents at each carbon atom in the dicarba bridge and both appear to involve homolytic cleavage of the C–C bond in the bridge as a key step. In striking contrast, derivatives containing either one or no non-hydrogen substituents on the bridge such as {Fe[η5-C5H4]2[CH(Ph)CH2]} (15) and [Fe(η5-C5H4)2(CH2)2] (17) undergo thermal ring-opening polymerization (ROP) under similar conditions (300 °C, 1 h). Thus, thermolysis of 15 yielded polyferrocenylethylene {Fe[η5-C5H4]2[CH(Ph)CH2]}n (16a) with a broad molecular weight distribution (Mw = 13,760, PDI = 3.27). Analysis of 16a by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry suggested that the material was macrocyclic. Thermal treatment of linear polyferrocenylethylenes {Fe[η5-C5H4]2[CH(Ph)CH2]}n with narrow molecular weight distributions (prepared by photocontrolled ROP) at 300 °C confirmed that the macrocycles detected form directly, and not as a result of depolymerization. Copolymerizations of 15 with 17 and of 15 with the deuterated species [Fe(η5-C5H4)2(CD2)2] (dd44-17) were conducted in order to probe the bond cleavage mechanism. Comparative NMR spectroscopic analysis of the resulting copolymers 18 and dd44-18, respectively, and of homopolymer 16a, indicated that thermal ROP does not occur via a homolytic C–C bridge cleavage mechanism. A series of thermolysis experiments were conducted with MgCp2 (Cp = η5-C5H5) at 300 °C, which resulted in the isolation of ring-opened species formed from 15 and 17, and indicated that the Fe–Cp bonds can be cleaved under the thermal ROP conditions employed. The studies indicated that a chain growth process that involves heterolytic Fe–Cp bond cleavage in the monomers is the most probable mechanism for the thermal ROP of dicarba[2]ferrocenophanes.